Convertible jewelry construction



A ril 13, 1965 L. RAZZA CONVERTIBLE JEWELRY CONSTRUCTION Filed May 16, 1963 INVENTOR.

LUCA RAZZA ATTORN United States Patent My present invention relates to the jewelry art and more particularly to a novel construction of an article of convertible jewelry.

The principal object of the present invention is toprovide an article of jewelry such as a brooch or a pin with means for converting its characteristics.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a convertible jewelry construction which permits the conversion of anarticle of jewelry from tailored daytime wear to a piece of jewelry suitable for evening wear.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an article of jewelry which is convertible from daytime to evening wear without the addition or subtraction of extra pieces, the entire construction being self-containedv A further object of the present invention is to provide an article of convertible jewery which is rapid and simple to convert by the wearer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an article of convertible jewelry which is simple in construction and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts, more fullydisclosed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

FIG; 1 is a" plan view of a pin embodying my present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 With the pin having been converted to evening wear.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the various parts of the article of jewelry.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged section taken through the rear end of the conversion insert.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view showing the housing construction.

The jewelry art shows many instances of convertible jewelry. This is jewelry which is designed in a tailored form for daytime wear and is convertible to a more elaborate design for evening wear. Most of these constructions are costly and complicated to manufacture and as'semblebecause they involve the use of separate pieces to be screwed or snapped or otherwise attached to a base. It is thus required that the user fuss with the article of jewelry to convert it from one to the other. The presenti'rivention is designed to provide a simple self-contained construction in which a basic pin can be converted to evening wear quickly and immediately by the user. i Referring more detail to the drawings illustrating my invention FIG. 1' illustrates a conventional circle type pin which is provided at the rear thereof with an attaching pin portion. 111 of conventional construction. Mounted on the pin 10 is an ornamental portion 12 in the form of a leaf spray as illustrated. However, the portion 12 may be of any desired configuration as will hereinafter be described.

The basic pin 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 is of tailored design, plain with nothing more than possible surface ornamentations on the generally circular shape; In the form of the present invention the basic portion lllis made of tubular stock. This pin is designed for dayverted into the form shown in FIG. 2.

time Wear on dresses, suits or coats. Should the user wish to wear the pin for evening wear it can be con- In this form the front of the pin now comprises a generally circular portion 13 having a plurality of rhinestones 14 mounted thereon. It is still equipped with the same ornamental portion 12 as the form shown in FIG. 1 and the same attaching pin 11. The conversion from FIG. 1 to FIG. 2 is accomplished by the construction illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

Referring to FIG. 3, the base of the pin 10 is of a hollow tubular construction having an internal gap 15. The portion 10 is formed into a generally circular shape with its ends offset as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. One

offset end is provided with an inwardly bent portion 16:

for a purpose hereinafter to be described. I now provide a plug 17 having an enlarged head 18 and a shank 19' from which a narrow portion 20 extends at one side. The plug 17 is inserted in the other end 21 of the member 10 with the portion 20 sliding into the gap 15 and the shank 19 extending into the hollow portion of the member 10. The enlarged head 18 extends at the outside as shown in FIG. 5. It is essential for the operation of the device that the member It retain the configuration shown in FIG. 3 throughout its life. To ensure this, the enlarged head 18 of the plug 17 is soldered at 22 to the adjacent end of the member 19 as shown in FIG. 5. This retains the relative position of the ends of the. circle member 10.

The member lid is formed from sheetstock into a tubular generally circular shape as illustrated in FIG. 3 in a conventional manner. I now provide a conversion member 13 preferably cast in the form of a generally circular shape as shown in FIG. 3 with itsfree ends 23 and 2dslightly olfset. However, the ends 23" and 24- are not offset as much as the end 21 is offset in the member 10. In assembly the rhinestones 14 are applied to the settings 25 in the member 13 and the bent portion 16 is bent outwardly so that the gap at that end' of the member 16 is slightly enlarged. The end 240i the member 13 is then inserted into the tubular member 10 land the member 13' is then pushed round into the member 10 until it is completely housed therein. The bent portion 16 is then pinched back into position. Now the member 13 is slidably mounted within the member .10 with the end 24 inside of the member 10 and the end 23 acting as a stop to limit inward movement into the' member 10'.

The end 23 is preferably formed as shown in FIG. 3 witha rectangular portion having a central opening 26 to which a small ornamental portion can be easily swedged or otherwise mounted. In the illustrated form the leaf spray 12 is suchan ornamental portion and is mounted on the opening 26 at the end 23 of the member 13. T he other end, 24, of the member 13 is providedwith' an inwardly extending portion 27 provided with a small hook 28. The member 27 slides within-the gap 15 of the member 19, and the book 28' overlaps one edge of the wall of the member 10 as shown in-FIG. 4. When the member 13 is slipped out of the member 10 into the form shown in FIG. 2, it will slide outwardly until the hooked portion 28 of-the member 27 reaches the: bent portion 16 oh the; member 1 h which'acts as a stop and prevents further movement. This locks the member 13 within the member Ill.

It is thus seen that when a finger is placed on the orna mental portion 12 and it is pulled counterclockwise in FIG. 1 it will pull the member 13 with it and allow it to slide out of the member 10 and in front of the member 10 into the position shown in FIG. 2. Clockwise movement of the ornamental portion shown in FIG. 2 will push the a member 13 back into the member 16' to reconvert it into the form shown in H6. 1. To hold the member 13 in the position shown in FIG. 1, the position shown in FIG. 2, or in any intermediate position desired, the member 13 is not offset as much as the member It) as hereinabove described with'the result that there is a frictional engagement between the members 1% and 13 which holds the member 13 in any position to which it is pushed. This permits the member 13 to be pulled halfway from the member 1a to provide a pin which is half tailored and half with rhinestones or in any other proportion that the wearer may desire.

It can thus be readily seen that the pin is of simple convertible construction, the wearer can make the conversion While the pin is being worn by merely placing the finger on the ornamental portion 12 and moving it with a circular motion to pull the member 13 from the member 10 and allow it to a position in front of the member lit) to give the appearance of a rhinestone pin. Motion in the opposite direction changes the pin back to a simple tailored pin. The parts are of simple construction and easy and economical to manufacture and assemble. The form and shape of the rhinestone portions on the face of the member 113 can be varied. For example pearls can be substituted or other types of ornamentation. Also the ornamental portion 12 can of course be easily varied since it is separately mounted in the end 23 and the opening 26. The plug 17 which is soldered as shown in FIG. holds the parts in fixed position so that the frictional engagement will always be present and the parts will not separate. The construction can be used for a brooch, a 'clip, or as a pendant ornament. Other advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to a person skilled in the art,

I claim: I

1 A convertible article of jewelry comprising a hollow tube bent to form a generally circular first member, said tube having means of attachment to the person to form an article of jewelry, and a conversion means mounted in said tube, said conversion means including a second member slidable from said tube to a position in front of said tube to change the appearance of said article of jewelry, the ends of said tube being in mutually offset relation and constituting means permitting free movement of said second member into and out of one end of said tube, a plug having an enlarged head and a shank, said shank extending into the other end of said tube, said head being soldered to the tube outer wall adjacent said one end of said tube to lock said tube ends in offset position. V

2. A convertible article of jewelry comprising a hollow tube bent to form a generally circular first member, said tube having means of attachment to the person to form an article of jewelry, and a conversion means mounted in said tube, said conversion means includinga second member slidable from said tube to a position in front of said tube to change the appearance of said article of jewelry, said second member including a generally circular solid member having gem settings on its front face, said second member frictionally engaging the inner surface of said tube, the ends of said tube being in mutually offset relation and constituting means permitting free movement of said second member into and out of one end of said tube, a plug having an enlarged head and a shank, said shank extending into the other end of said tube, said head being soldered to the tube outer wall adjacent said one end of said tube to lock said tube ends in offset position.

3. A convertible article of jewelry comprising a hollow tube bent to form a generally circular first member, said tube having means of attachment to the person to form an article of jewelry, and a conversion means mounted in said tube, said conversion means including a second member slidable from said tube to a position in front of said tube to change the appearance of said article of jewelry, the ends of said tube being in mutually ofiiset relation and constituting means permitting free movement of said second member into and out of one end of said tube, a

plug having an enlarged head and a shank, said shank tube bent to form a generally circular first member, said tube having means of attachment to the person to form an article of jewelry, and a conversion means mounted in said tube, said conversion means including a second member slidable from said tube to a position in front of said tube to chan e the appeanance of said article of jewelry, said second member including a generally circular solid member having gem settings on its front face, said second member frictionally engaging the inner surface of said tube, the ends of said tube being in mutually offset relation and constituting means permitting free movement of said second member into and out of one end of said tube, a plug having an enlarged head and a shank, said shank extending into the other end of said tube, said headbeing soldered to the tube outer wall adjacent said onev end of said tube to lock said tube endsin offset position, said tube having a gap on the inner wall thereof, said second member having an integral positioning tab extending from said gap and slidable therein.

5. A convertible article of jewelry comprising a hollow tube bent to form a generally circular first member, said tube having means of attachment to the person to form.

an article of jewelry, anda conversion means mounted in said tube, said conversion means including a second member slidable from said tube to a position in front of said tube to change the appearance of said article of jewelry, the ends of said tube being in mutually offset relation and constituting means permitting free movement of said second member into and out of one end of said tube, a plug having an enlarged head and a shank, said shank extending into the other end of said tube, said head being soldered to the tube outer wall adjacent said one end of said tube to lock said tube ends in offset position, one end of said second member having a rectangular portion with a central opening, and an ornament mounted in said opening and forming a manually engageable portion of said second member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 272,985 2/83 Stone 63-1 1,182,254 5/16 Cummins 63-1 1,296,435 3/19 Schmidt 63-15.5 2,668,369 2/54 Hepp 63-1 X RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CONVERTIBLE ARTICLE OF JEWELRY COMPRISING A HOLLOW TUBE BENT TO FORM A GENERALLY CIRCULAR FIRST MEMBER, SAID TUBE HAVING MEANS OF ATTACHMENT TO THE PERSON TO FORM AN ARTICLE OF JEWELRY, AND A CONVERSION MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID TUBE, SAID CONVERSION MEANS INCLUDING A SECOND MEMBER SLIDABLE FROM SAID TUBE TO A POSITION IN FRONT OF SAID TUBE TO CHANGE THE APPEARANCE OF SAID ARTICLE OF JEWELRY, THE ENDS OF SAID TUBE BEING IN MUTUALLY OFFSET RELATION AND CONSTITUTING MEANS PERMITTING FREE MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND MEMBER INTO SAID OUT OF ONE END OF SAID TUBE, A PLUG HAVING AN ENLARGED HEAD AND A SHANK, SAID SHANK EXTENDING INTO THE OTHER END OF SAID TUBE, SAID HEAD BEING SOLDERED TO THE TUBE OUTER WALL ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBE TO LOCK SAID TUBE ENDS IN OFFSET POSITION. 